Floyd Rose® retainer systems and similar units regularly require the cutting of the ball end of each of the individual strings and manually clamping the strings to the saddle in order to tune the instrument. In the original Fender® “vintage tremolo” designs and other similar designs, the strings do not enter through the inertia block. These designs also comprise a double locking system without fine tuning mechanisms. In other contemporaneous designs, the ball ends are free to move within the tremolo assembly.
The Floyd Rose® II designs are single locking where the ball end of the string is strung through the bridge plate but is not locked in place, allowing the ball end to move freely within the inertia block or the bridge plate while the tremolo arm was depressed.
These designs were later redesign to include a double locking system. Examples of double locking systems include the Ibanez® Edge, LoPro Edge, EdgePro, EdgePro-II, Edge-III, and EdgeZero. The Ibanez® Zero Resistance is a version of the Ibanez® Edge utilizing a ball-bearing mechanism, instead of a knife-edge, as the fulcrum point and comprises a stop-bar to create consistency in tuning. Other such systems include the Floyd Rose® 7-String, Floyd Rose® Pro, and the Floyd Rose® Speedloader Tremolo.
A variety of tremolo models, such as the Floyd Rose® Speedloader and Steinberger®, required string with two or double ball ends, specifically made for the systems. These strings are manufactured precisely for a given length and use mounted fine tuners to adjust string pitches and tuning.
The Yamaha® Finger Clamp, a variation of the Floyd Rose® system, comprises built-in levers for tuning the instrument. The Fender® Deluxe Locking Tremolo, a double locking system, utilizes locking tuners, a modified Fender® 2-point synchronized tremolo with locking bridge saddles and a special low-friction LSR® Roller Nut, allowing the strings to slide during tremolo use. In this system the second locking point is at the tuning machines instead of the nut.
An apparatus exists that clamps onto a Floyd Rose® to accurately set the intonation of an instrument, alleviating the need to manually adjusting the strings.
The Steinberger® Transposing Tremolo System affords use of the tremolo while maintaining consistent tuning throughout the range of the tremolo. In addition to tuning stability, the system affords the user with instant alternate tunings by manually adjusting the mechanism on the bridge.